iOS 4.3 Release by February 13? : AT&T iPhone Hotspot Rumor

We have previously brought you some news on what features we might expect from the upcoming iOS 4.3 from Apple. Now we have heard some news/rumors that seem to imply that iOS 4.3 might just be here on, or by, February 13.

One of the benefits touted for the Verizon iPhone (which becomes available on February 10) is the Mobile Hotspot functionality, which is something that as yet the AT&T iPhone has not had. Now we hear from Seth Weintraub over on 9to5Mac that we could possibly see the Mobile Hotspot coming to the AT&T iPhone on February 13. There is some confusion about this though as it’s already known that AT&T is bringing a Mobile Hotspot app to some of its Android devices on that date.

The speculation over the date of February 13 comes from an original article on The New York Times by David Pogue, which specifically announced February 13 as the date that AT&T was bringing Mobile Hotspot to its iPhone 4, as part of his review on the Verizon iPhone. However the actual date was later taken off the review but not before several people had spotted it. You can see a fragment of the original on the 9to5Mac link above. As Weintraub points out though, if this was indeed a correct leak, then AT&T needs iOS 4.3 to dole out personal hotspot to the iPhone, so of course that means that iOS 4.3 will also be release on February 13, or even before.

Vlad Savov over on Engadget also reports on this and adds that another review of the Verizon iPhone by Walt Mossman over on All Things Digital, also gives a date of February 13 for the Personal Hotspot facility to be turned on by AT&T and also makes the point that the release of iOS 4.3 would need to fit into this timeframe. However checking the Mossman report now we cannot find a mention of February 13 but maybe this was changed as when referring to the hotspot on the Verizon iPhone it now reads, “AT&T countered by announcing a similar Wi-Fi hot spot plan for the iPhone at an unspecified future date.”

It’s all rather intriguing then but hopefully we will soon hear some confirmation either way on this. What are your thoughts on AT&T being able to offer the Mobile Hotspot functionality on its iPhone, or on the release of iOS 4.3? Let us know with your comments please.